


come home to me

by highvalyrian



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Childhood, Childhood Friends, Crushes, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Love Amongst the Dragons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:42:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24617026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/highvalyrian/pseuds/highvalyrian
Summary: Recollections of Azula’s past featuring her familial resentment, childhood crushes, and moments in which are so traumatic she will never forget them. Each chapter focuses on a particular moment in Azula’s life that has shaped some aspect of her: humility, self-hatred, and pride.___________________________For the June Monthly Challenge: an aspect of the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe that is often overlooked. Understanding the complex history of Azula’s past (and the abuse that she endured) is something that needs to be explored more often. Despite some chapters in here being fluff, understand that Azula’s childhood was far from pretty.
Relationships: Azula & Mai & Ty Lee, Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 58
Collections: Avatar Gaang Discord - Monthly Creator's Challenge





	come home to me

“Have you learned your lesson?”

The courtyard was bright as the midday sun cast down like a stage light upon them.

“I have been humbled,” Azula muttered. She was kneeling on the ground, her head bent, before raising it slightly. Her voice was firm. “But I do not wish to reclaim my status as the Dragon Emperor.” Her mask felt heavy upon her head, and the slight breeze in the air caused the red dragon robe that donned her frame to blow against her skin.

She jumped suddenly, off the ground to stab a mock sword into Zuko’s chest. She let the wood hit him, purposely letting herself hold back from injuring her brother, and watched as he fell dramatically to the ground. The blue mask he wore, designed to rival that of the real Dark Water Spirit in the play they performed, kept his face hidden as he feigned death.

Azula whipped her body around, almost falling over with the foreign object on her face, and grabbed the hands of her acrobatic best friend who had stood behind her the whole time. “Though I was trapped in the body of a mortal, you willingly gave me your heart! I cannot help but give you mine in return!” She smiled behind the mask, squeezing the small and thin hands of Ty Lee who stood opposite of her to signal her line.

The silk blue robes her friend wore were far too large, specifically designed for Azula’s mother, and the light blue mask on her face was about to fall down her nose. “Only with your glory hidden in the false form could I finally recognize your devotion!”

Azula rolled her eyes and lowered her voice. “ _ You  _ recognize  _ my  _ devotion.”

“That’s what I said!”

She groaned in annoyance. Azula couldn’t be bothered dragging this on, and raised her hand to touch her friend’s chin— cold and trembling, but what did she expect? Ty Lee followed with such familiarity that it was almost second nature for her hands to clasp around Azula’s neck. They had reenacted this particular scene dozens of times before.

They leaned forward too fast, or maybe they forgot how large and heavy the masks were, but suddenly their heads collided in what was supposed to be a kiss which sent Ty Lee falling to the ground with a loud  _ oomph _ of surprise. The mask followed her tumble and went flying askew, much to everyone’s dismay.

Zuko finally got up, pulling the dark blue mask off his head. “Can we go inside now? I’m hungry.” He waited for Azula to pull Ty Lee up from the ground before expecting a response.

“Shut up,” she snapped. “It was almost perfect.  _ Someone  _ just forgot her lines.” She drew an accusatory glare towards her friend, who grabbed her mask from the floor and frowned.

“I don’t like being the Dragon Empress,” she grumbled, knowing far too well that she wasn’t going to be anything else. “Why can’t Mai do it?”

Both Azula and Mai, the latter who was watching them from the courtyard steps, made rambles in protest.

“Because I don’t want to kiss  _ Azula _ !”

“Because she’s too apathetic for that role!”

And then Zuko had to step in, because he always had to intervene. “Why can’t you be the Dark Water Spirit, Azula? You’re always the Dragon Emperor and Ty Lee is always the Dragon Empress.”

“Well do  _ you  _ want to be the Dragon Empress?” She pulled off her own mask and threw it to the ground, annoyed. “Mai doesn’t want to act with us, and I don’t see what the problem is!” Her fists were hot now, and with one more annoyance she was likely to throw a flame at someone’s head. However, small hands on her shoulders made her breaths steady, and slowly the fists unclench with only a little smoke coming out in their stead.

Ty Lee kept her hands steady on Azula’s shoulders, almost using her body as a shield if Zuko or Mai were to lash out. However, she also knew her touch calmed the princess and tried her best to keep things as peaceful as they could be despite the circumstances.

Unfamiliar, loud footsteps filled the courtyard. The group turned to face Azula and Zuko’s mother, Ursa, wearing her normal crimson robes and golden hairpiece. Seeing the dismay on all of their faces — and yet focusing the most on Zuko — she asked, “What happened?”

Her son had been quick to respond, even beating Azula despite her mouth being open to answer. “Azula’s being bossy! She won’t let anyone else be the Dragon Emperor.”

“Azula,” her mother scolded, and Ty Lee felt the girl’s body bristle under the costume robes. She removed her hands from the princess’s shoulders, yet didn’t back away. “Why won’t you let anyone else be the Dragon Emperor?”

The young girl was furious, but she didn’t let it show through her body language and voice. “Everyone else does it wrong,” she insisted, but Ty Lee knew that wasn’t the case. She just enjoyed being the lead. “We need to be perfect before the recital.”

Ursa sighed, and something in her long breath made Ty Lee realize Azula threw fits like this often. The life of the privileged was only but a struggle for them. “The recital for  _ Love Amongst the Dragons  _ at the Academy isn’t for another five months, and you don’t even know if you’ll get the part.” Her mother didn’t draw any closer, and instead beckoned for her son to come to her. “Why doesn’t everyone head inside for some lunch? I’m sure you must be hungry after your performances.” Ursa gave them a soft smile, allowing Zuko to run into her arms before she turned her body and walked away with him attached to her side.

When they disappeared inside the Palace, Azula collapsed to the ground with a moan of frustration. She lay on her back with her eyes closed and her hands dragging down her face. Ty Lee exchanged a glance with Mai, who was unbothered and looking at her nails, then quickly fell down beside Azula and stared up at the sky.

“Why can’t Zuko stop being a tattle,” she mumbled, and seemed to forget that the situation was mainly instigated by Ty Lee. “He  _ always  _ gets Mother on his side.”

Neither of her friends responded, knowing full well Azula wasn’t finished complaining until she got up and announced for them to follow. Ty Lee always stayed friends with her despite her temper because she enjoyed Azula’s company. She’d seen her raw emotions a few times — only at night, where she could pin them on her exhaustion if Ty Lee were to ever bring it up (she never did) — and understood that behind the guise she put on for everyone else, she was human that did have emotions.

She wasn’t sure why Mai stayed, though. Maybe it was because of Zuko, but Ty Lee would never know, nor did she ever press to find out.

Azula rolled over to face Ty Lee on the grass, lifting a hand to shield the sun that was beaming down on her. “He’s always the Dark Water Spirit. I don’t get why he was so annoyed today.”

“Maybe he just got sick of it?” Ty Lee suggested. Azula frowned and turned back to face upwards. “Maybe playing a different role would be good for you, Azula.”

“Don’t tell me you’re taking his side too.” The girl’s voice was just above a whisper so Mai couldn’t hear. Not that she would have cared, with the lack of attention she was paying either girl anyway. “You love being the Dragon Empress.”

Reluctantly Ty Lee sighed. “Only because you’re already the Dragon Emperor, and Zuko is already the Dark Water Spirit.” She pushed herself up with her arm so that she was looking down at Azula. “You should let us switch roles sometimes,” she added. 

“But you’re auditioning for the Dragon Empress for our recital,” Azula prompted. “Why would it even matter to play the Dragon Emperor when you’re not auditioning for him?” The common decency most young girls were taught seemed completely remiss to Azula. “Frankly you could use a little touching-up on your lines, based upon your performance today.”

Mai groaned, bored with her friends arguing and growing impatient with hunger. 

“Azula!” Ty Lee exclaimed in offense. She got to her knees, almost standing up. “You’re so mean sometimes!”

She thought the girl took pride in that, but seeing the expression on her friend’s face was quivering and close to tears, she pressed a warm palm to Ty Lee’s ankle to keep her from standing. “Wait, wait. Don’t go.”

“I’m hungry,” she mumbled, but she really wasn’t.

Azula didn’t let go of her leg. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, really.” She had to repeat it to make sure she believed it. “I’ll let you be the Dragon Emperor next time we practice.”

In an instant she was delighted again. Ty Lee turned her body so fast Azula’s hand slipped from her body before she was tackled in a hug on the ground. Braided hair got in the princess’s mouth, causing her to spit at the air to get it out with incapacitated hands. “Thank you, Azula! I promise not to forget my lines this time!”

Only Mai could see the ghost of a smile on Azula’s face, despite her barely acknowledging the two during their whole situation. “Can you two hurry up? We’ve been out here so long Zuko has probably stolen all our food.”

“Then chase after him,” Azula retorted. Ty Lee pulled away and her body felt cold. The blue robes she wore were loose and thin, making the breeze send slight shivers across her skin. Maybe a storm was about to come. “We all see how much you look at him when you’re here.” She pretended to stick a finger down her throat and gag, while Ty Lee laughed along with her. Mai grew red and looked down at the grass, turning around to walk away.

Azula never apologized to her like she did Ty Lee. They would make up after a few hours like siblings would, not addressing the situation and proceeding on with life. The trio went inside to eat lunch: Azula learning that apologizing to Ty Lee was one of the most rewarding experiences she has had; Ty Lee seeing that Azula isn’t always so cold and removed from the world; and Mai hoping that she and Zuko still had a chance now that Azula knew about her crush.

It stormed that night, and the girls allowed themselves to bask in their newfound revelations in peace. 


End file.
